Creating a simple "shadow on the floor" effect for text

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GarryP

Here's a little tutorial showing you how to create a simple "shadow on the floor" effect for some text. You can follow the steps in the attached screenshot.

Step 1

Create the text you want to put the shadow on. I've used Arial at 60pt.

Step 2

1. Select the text and choose menu "Item -> Multiple Duplicate", okaying the dialog without any changes, to create a single duplicate of the text right on top of the original.
2. Colour the duplicate text in a light grey.
3. Choose menu "Item -> Convert To -> Outlines" to change the grey text into something that can be manipulated.

Step 3

1. Select the outlined text - it'll be on the top - and choose menu "Item - > Transform...".
2. Press the "Add" button and choose "Scaling".
3. Use the "origin" tool to select bottom-left.
4. Press the "chain" icon to de-link horizontal/vertical scaling and use the spinner to drop the vertical scaling to 50%. (You might be able to enter the value directly but I've had problems with this dialog in the past.)
5. Then OK the dialog.

Step 4

1. Select the grey text and choose menu "Item - > Transform..." again.
2. Press the "Add" button and choose "Skewing".
3. Use the "origin" tool to select bottom-left again.
4. Press the "chain" icon to de-link horizontal/vertical skewing and use the spinner to change the horizontal skewing to 70 degrees.
5. Then OK the dialog.
6. Select the grey text again and send it behind the other text.

And there you have it. Simple but reasonably effective.

You will probably need to experiment with different scaling/skewing values to get the exact effect you want.

P.S. You can apply the scaling and skewing effects at the same time to save a few mouse clicks but I prefer to make sure one has been properly applied before I apply the other. That's just a personal preference.

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GarryP